Motivation

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:1-4

What is it that motivates you?

Is it health, fear, hunger... Is it some secrete desire? Is it to make yourself look good? To make other praise you for how great you are?

We are called to love one another. To look out for eachother as a family would. A family is bonded together by blood. So are we... But we are not bonded by a human blood that can fail, but by the pure and Holy blood of Christ. A Holy bond that can never fail, never break.

CBU Theater

a video about the production of Fiddler On The Roof at CBU's Theater
check it out

Legacy

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:7

I got my results back yesterday. It turns out that I don't have cancer and I am so thankful to God for this. This whole situation has caused me to re-focus my life. I've been looking at how I act and react at work, what I am doing in school, and how I treat my friends and family. I realize that there are things I need to fix. There are things I need to act on, because I realized that I don't have all the time in the world like I used to think.

Life is very beautiful, but it is also very fragile.

When Paul wrote this verse he knew that he was about to die. He was thinking back on all that he had done and why. He knew that he could die happy because everything that he had done had been for the Glory of God. His legacy, the story he left behind, would be one that honored God.

A life like this belongs to someone who is deeply in love with God. I encourage you to seek Him out, and ask that He would show Himself to you. I encourage you to consider your life and think about the story that you want to leave behind.

hope

Romans 15:1-4

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
2Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.

3For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME."

4For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

In the rest of Chapter 15 it talks more about hope

hope is that Christ did not please himself but put the wrongs of the world on himself 

hope will not come from this world or from ourselves

it has taken me a long time to understand this, I hope you will see this also

Lost

Ok.... so I lost my book. I'm sure I'll find it sooner or later...

I was thinking today about one of my favorite passages:

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 3: 1-10


As I get to know you better on Sundays, i begin to see the different ways that God has talented you. Some of you are really good at drawing, others at speaking, others at creating beautiful things out of playdo.

We are at a point in our lives where we don't have a lot to give. We don't own a beautiful house or have money to give. But what we do have is the Lord and a relationship with Him which is the most precious thing of all.

Peter and John were the same way. They were nomads without a home or wealth, but what they did have they gave. I challenge you to see the talents and gifts that God has given you and use them. More importantly I challenge you to share your faith with others.

When this crippled man was healed, he jumped for joy and praised God because he knew that it was God who had healed him through Peter and John. The world... our neighborhood... our friends and family... they need to know. They need to find the joy in the only One who can give it.

Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you

Live Strong

I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15: 50-58

Ok... so one of my goals in life is to become a little old 75 years old woman. You know the kind... 4'10" hair pulled back in a bun, huge glasses, and a lot of attitude. I'm 5'5" which means I have to shrink a couple inches to reach my goal. I'm sure I'll one day need glasses, my hair is pretty much always pulled back in a bun, and in regards to attitude... I'm sure I'll have plenty by the time I'm old.

The sad reality is that not many people make it to 70. Not many people make it to 60 or 50. In fact I've had people I've loved or known die as early as 33 or 19. We are all still very young, so we don't think about death. But its a reality.

Last week I briefly talked about what was happening with my health. There is no fear because there is freedom in Christ. when I was younger I asked God for one thing, that He wouldn't let me die until His work through me was done. I know that He granted me this one request, and God is not someone who will let you fall flat on your face.

So you see..With God there is the sure knowledge that whatever happens, it'll be ok.


Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Confident Living

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Hebrews 10:32-36


I'm sorry for not posting yesterday. Wednesday is my worst day.

Our last entry was about perserverance. About how we struggle with life. It's amazing to think that because we serve the one true God, all of our work will not be for nothing. Even if in serving God we lose our home, or money, our very lives, when we enter heaven all of what we had will seem like nothing compared to what we just gained.